Story an photos by Tim Fulton /ArmoryTrack.com
Sam Roecker of Burnt Hills-Balston Lake took charge from the gun in the girls 3000m, and while her teammate Molly Pezullo hung on her shoulder, Roecker just continued to run out front.
Roecker is just tough - it's as simple as that. Anyone who has ever seen her race would agree. She may look dead at the mile mark but she'll always find a way to be in the race all the way to the end.
This time the end included an up and coming star in North Shore freshman Sam Nadel. Nadel had a fine cross country but the youngster impressed everyone this weekend in New Haven, CT.
First she was battling Roecker Friday night in the DMR, which Burnt Hills won in a new US#1 time of 11:59.71 to 12:00.32, Roecker edging Nadel.
So here we were on Saturday. After Pezzulo was dropped ever so slightly by Roecker, Nadel surged on the back stretch of teh final lap, and everyone was thinking the same thing - can she get her?
The answer was no on this day as Roecker won in 9:51.18 while Nadel crossed the line in 9:51.86. There will be a day very soon where Nadel wins the big race and North Shore's youngsters seem to be coming of age and might be the newest group of New York youngster to enter into that group of elite programs.
HIGHLIGHTS
The Bronxville girls dominated the small school races as usual on Friday. They won the DMR and 4x800m with a different group of girls and were also 2nd in the 4x400m. The Brewster boys were 3rd in the small school 4x800m.
Dan Harris of Shenendehowa won the 3000m in a US#1 8:40.96 time after passing early leader Demetri Goutos. Harris stormed past Goutos and looked great coming home, eating up the track with his huge stride.
Andrew Springer of Westerly, RI won the mile in 4:10.61. He looked like he was cruising the 1600m leg the night before in the DMR so the buzz on Saturday was this kid was going to win big. He did just that, besting 2nd place Mark Feigen of East Greenwich, RI by four seconds.
With the times all in for the Millrose Games now and the accouncement coming tomorrow on who was invited, it appears that this was the hardest year ever to get into the Millrose boys mile. The previous fastest cutoff was 4:16.32 in 2006.
more highlights and a photo gallery coming Sunday....